Cockatiels

Q-I have two cockatiels, male and female. I also have a 2-year-old cat. I found her in the yard, newly born, her eyes not yet open. She opened them the next day, while my two birds sat on my arm watching her. Ever since then the cat has thought she's related to the birds and even sleeps on top of their cages. And apparently the birds feel just as close to her. When they see me put out her food, they both dive in and start eating. Is it harmful for them to eat Tender Vittles cat food?

Tango the whiteface cockatiel encountered some misadventure after absconding from his owner's home on Thanksgiving Day but ended up in the care of a sympathetic stranger. The 10-month-old bird slipped out of a sliding glass door in his Lombard home on Thanksgiving. Tango's owner, Frank Alonso, 24, used the faint sound of Tango's whistle to find him on top of an evergreen tree. Alonso's family taped some of his favorite food onto a net in the hope that it would lure him out of the...

For those who want a bird that is truly a pet, the cockatiel is a splendid choice. This member of the parrot family resembles the cockatoo but is an independent, much less aggressive and destructive separate species. Most hand-raised specimens from private breeders have beautiful temperaments, are usually very affectionate to humans and amiable with other birds, dogs and cats. Cockatiels are hardy and long-lived; 15 to 20 healthy years is not unusual. They are natural acrobats and fun to watch at play.

Gracie the parrot--unfazed by the nearby concession stand with pesto chicken and turkey club sandwiches on the giant menu board--broke into an abbreviated rendition of "Old McDonald." The 8-year-old double yellow head Amazon was entertaining herself at the 2006 National Cage Bird Show late last month. The event was hosted by the Greater Chicago Cage Bird Club and drew some 4,000 entrants, turning the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center into a scene from "The Birds."

Q--My 5-year-old cockatiel has always had full access to the house. Now that we're considering starting a family, I'm thinking about having her wings cut. How can we help her to make the adjustment? J. F., Ft. Lauderdale A--Cockatiels might become depressed after clipping, particularly after this first cut. Avian behaviorist Liz Wilson of Philadelphia recommends letting the vet do the clipping. For one thing, your vet can perform a physical at the same time. That way, you'll know...

Birds won`t fetch slippers or purr as they rub against their owners` legs, but these feathered friends are quickly becoming one of the most popular pets in the United States. American Veterinary Medical Association figures show that bird ownership has increased 24 percent in the last four years, said Amy Smith, editor of Pet Business magazine in Miami, with 12.9 million pet birds in this country. The American Pet Manufacturers Association estimates that 43 percent of the birds kept in America are...

Q--I have a mature cockatiel named Jimmy who loves to swing upside down, then falls from his perch. My vet says that Jimmy is physically fine. Is my bird dizzy? A--"You may have a natural acrobat there," says avian care specialist Dr. Rich Nye of the Westchester Midwest Bird/Exotic Animal Hospital. "It could be that Jimmy is just killing time instead of simply hanging around all day. If that's the case, just enjoy the show." However, Nye adds that if...

Q-I have two cockatiels, male and female. My cat is 2 years old. I found her in the yard, newly born, her eyes not yet open. She opened them the next day while my two birds sat on my arm watching her. Ever since, the cat has thought she's related to the birds and even sleeps on top of their cages. And apparently the birds feel just as close to her. When I put out her food, they both dive in and start eating. A-Cat food can be good for birds. In fact, some well-respected...

Q--I keep four cockatiels together in one cage. One bird recently died of old age. About the same time, another bird, named Trigger, began to act lethargic. My vet says that he really doesn't know what's wrong with Trigger. Any ideas? A--When birds act lethargic, it's a sign of possible illness. If you live in a small town, it may be understandable that there isn't an avian care specialist available locally. However, we highly recommend that...

If you're into back-to-the-basics, natural, unsophisticated, you can't get much more basic than Fremont Center Feeds. The store, which deals in pet and livestock food, equipment and health supplies, is in a weathered white barn on one of the last of the truly rural roads in Lake County. A blue and white sign tacked to the side identifies the business. Customers enter by climbing old concrete steps that put them right in the middle of the barn with hay mows up above and...

Gracie the parrot--unfazed by the nearby concession stand with pesto chicken and turkey club sandwiches on the giant menu board--broke into an abbreviated rendition of "Old McDonald." The 8-year-old double yellow head Amazon was entertaining herself at the 2006 National Cage Bird Show late last month. The event was hosted by the Greater Chicago Cage Bird Club and drew some 4,000 entrants, turning the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center into a scene from "The Birds."

Q-I have two cockatiels, male and female. My cat is 2 years old. I found her in the yard, newly born, her eyes not yet open. She opened them the next day while my two birds sat on my arm watching her. Ever since, the cat has thought she's related to the birds and even sleeps on top of their cages. And apparently the birds feel just as close to her. When I put out her food, they both dive in and start eating. A-Cat food can be good for birds. In fact, some well-respected...

Q--My 5-year-old cockatiel has always had full access to the house. Now that we're considering starting a family, I'm thinking about having her wings cut. How can we help her to make the adjustment? J. F., Ft. Lauderdale A--Cockatiels might become depressed after clipping, particularly after this first cut. Avian behaviorist Liz Wilson of Philadelphia recommends letting the vet do the clipping. For one thing, your vet can perform a physical at the same time. That way, you'll know...

Q-My pied cockatiel, born last November, has an unpleasant problem that is getting worse. When I'm in the room with the bird, he's quite calm as long as he can keep an eye on me. But as soon as I leave the room for any time, he begins to chirp, and the longer I'm out of the room, the more urgent and panicky his chirping becomes. He gets louder if he hears my voice but can't see me. I've tried many ways to solve this problem (yelling, covering the cage, etc.), but nothing works. ...

Q-My pied cockatiel, born last November, has an unpleasant problem that is getting worse. When I'm in the room with the bird, he's quite calm as long as he can keep an eye on me. But as soon as I leave the room for any time, he begins to chirp, and the longer I'm out of the room, the more urgent and panicky his chirping becomes. He gets louder if he hears my voice but can't see me. I've tried many ways to solve this problem (yelling, covering the cage, etc.), but nothing works. ...

For those who want a bird that is truly a pet, the cockatiel is a splendid choice. This member of the parrot family resembles the cockatoo but is an independent, much less aggressive and destructive separate species. Most hand-raised specimens from private breeders have beautiful temperaments, are usually very affectionate to humans and amiable with other birds, dogs and cats. Cockatiels are hardy and long-lived; 15 to 20 healthy years is not unusual. They are natural acrobats and fun to watch at play.